The disclosure relates generally to electronic messages and more specifically to a method, computer program product, and computer system for associating an unsent electronic message with a file that is attached to a stored electronic message.
The Internet is a global network of computers and networks joined together by gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from a protocol of a sending network to a protocol used by a receiving network. On the Internet, computers may communicate with other computers. Information between computers travels over the Internet through a variety of languages also referred to as protocols. A set of protocols used on the Internet is called the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
It is commonplace for users to send messages to other users through the Internet or other networks, a process which may be referred to as electronic messaging. A message sent in such a fashion may be referred to as an electronic message. An electronic message may often be put together in the form of an electronic mail messages. Electronic mail (e-mail) is a widely used format to communicate over the Internet. Other types of electronic messages include, for example, text messages, as used in many cell phones, and instant messages (IMs) that can be exchanged using, for example, IBM®'s Lotus Sametime® or AOL®'s AIM®. The use of electronic messaging is commonplace for personal and business use. Individuals use electronic messaging to keep in touch with and communicate with other users. Additionally, electronic messaging provides a medium to collaborate and exchange documents. Documents exchanged via electronic messaging are referred to herein as attachments or attached files.
Electronic messages may be exchanged between clients via servers. In some instances, such as in text messages, the server does little more than redirect an electronic message and any attached files to a receiving client. In other instances, such as in e-mail messages, the server plays a greater role that may include both enhanced functionality and storage for e-mail messages and any attached files.
Electronic messages that are electronic mail messages may be drafted using an electronic mail program on a computer. While a user is drafting an electronic mail message on the computer, other computers generally may not access the electronic mail message. In other words, the electronic mail message may be considered to be off-line. When the user desires to send the electronic mail message, the electronic mail program can transfer the electronic mail message from the computer on which the electronic mail message was drafted to an intermediate computer, such as a server computer for example. From the server computer, an electronic mail program on a computer of the electronic mail message's intended recipient may retrieve the electronic mail message. The terms “electronic mail message,” “email message,” “e-mail message,” and “email” may be used interchangeably herein.
The process of transferring e-mail messages to and from a server computer may be referred to as replication. A first electronic mail program may replicate a message drafted on a first user's computer from the user's computer to the server computer. A second electronic mail program may then replicate the e-mail message from the server computer to a computer of the e-mail message's intended recipient. An electronic mail message program that commonly uses replication is Microsoft® Outlook®.
Another common technique for sending and receiving e-mail messages is for an electronic mail program to operate primarily at a server computer. For example, in a web-based electronic mail program (webmail), such as Google®'s Gmail®, a client may access the server computer and draft an e-mail message in a user-interface operating on the client computer. Upon “sending” the e-mail message, the server computer stores the e-mail message in association to a recipient client. In web-based electronic mail programs, a copy is not typically stored on the client computer. A recipient client computer may access the server and view the e-mail message in a user interface on the recipient client computer. The e-mail message need not be stored on the recipient client computer.
Some electronic mail programs, such as IBM®'s Lotus Notes®, are capable of both techniques at a user's discretion.
Electronic mail programs associate attached files with their respective e-mail messages and make both available to a recipient in accordance with the technique used for sending and receiving e-mail messages. To attach a file to an e-mail message, the user selects a document located at a specific location. An electronic mail program then uploads, or replicates, both the electronic mail message and the attached file from the user's computer to the server computer. A second electronic mail program may then replicate the e-mail message and the attached file from the server computer to a computer of the e-mail message's intended recipient. In the case of a web-based electronic mail program, a recipient computer may access the server computer to view the e-mail message and attached file in a web-based user interface, and may, at a recipient user's discretion, decide to save the e-mail message and/or attached file in local storage.
When a user of a recipient computer views an e-mail message, any attached files may be seen as file names, towards the top of the e-mail message, or as file icons, often within the text of the e-mail message. Though not seen by the user, each file name or icon maintains an association with a location of the stored file. Upon a selection of an attached file, the recipient client computer opens the file from the associated location. According to the different technique used to send and receive e-mail messages, storage may occur locally or on the server computer.
The user of the recipient computer may also forward a received e-mail message to another recipient or multiple recipients. The forwarded e-mail message may include any attached files associated with the received e-mail message. In this manner, the user of the recipient computer may send an attached file to other recipients without having to first download the attached file onto the recipient's computer. The attached file in the forwarded e-mail message simply continues to maintain the attached file's icon or name association with the server location in which the file is stored.